Dental Care During Pregnancy
Posted on: 21 April 2015
When you are pregnant, your mouth requires extra special care. There are many problems that you may face with your teeth and gums during pregnancy that you would not face at other times. Because of this it is especially important that your treat your mouth with the utmost care and rev up your dental care while pregnant. One of the main reasons for the changes in your oral care is due to hormonal changes. When you are pregnant, you also tend to eat and drink more. This can cause a larger amount of plaque than normal. Due to all this, you could end up suffering from a number of dental problems.
Gingivitis
One of the most common dental problems you could experience when pregnant is gingivitis. When you are pregnant, you tend to have more progesterone in your system. This progesterone makes you extra sensitive to plaque buildup. When suffering from gingivitis, you can experience symptoms like swollen gums and toothaches. In order to avoid this from happening, you need to visit your dentist more often for dental cleanings. This can help remove the plaque that is causing the gingivitis.
Dysguesia
Another common dental problem you could face while pregnant is dysguesia. If you've ever woken up with a metallic taste in your mouth, you could be experiencing dysguesia. This is very different than cravings in that your taste buds seem to change. Once you have the baby, the condition goes away. To avoid the metallic taste, you can chew on sugarless gum or eat spicy foods. Besides just having a bad taste in your mouth, it could make it harder to eat good, nutritious foods.
Radiation
When pregnant, radiation can be very harmful to the baby. Should you need an x-ray for any reason, you have to be very careful. This can make it very difficult for your dentist to treat certain dental issues. In order to get the x-ray you need, your dentist will likely advise you to wear a lead apron that helps eliminate the exposure to the radiation.
It is extremely important to remain in contact with your dentist while pregnant because of the likelihood you will have to deal with these dental issues. If you start to notice any changes in your teeth or gums, you need to consult a dentist (such as one from Gentle Breeze Dental). They will be able to help provide the right dental care for your needs so you can focus more on the pregnancy and less on oral issues.
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